Currently, NASA launches a few dozen suborbital sounding rockets annually, carrying scientific payloads into space for a few minutes of microgravity and a view of the stars. Clark Lindsey of Hobbyspace.com has been a big advocate of the possibilities of using X-Prize suborbital RLVs as cheaper alternatives to the current approach.

"The search for these so-called Vulcanoids was elevated ... to a camera mounted on a sub-orbital [sounding] rocket. If the new data do not yield a discovery, the search won't end. Several missions over a few-week period would be needed to check all the space within which Vulcanoids could exist. Stern [the project scientist] said their existence could be determined firmly with a few piloted, sub-orbital missions. He's considering approaching the eventual winner of the X-Prize, a competition among entrepreneurs to build a re-usable, piloted spaceship for suborbital excursions. A handful of flights, each allowing about a minute of data-gathering time, would be needed. Stern said the X-Prize winner will have the needed capability."

In fact, I've often thought that NASA could jump on this opportunity. Why not put out a contract saying something like, 'If you can launch 100-lb microgravity payloads 20 times a year for much cheaper than the current sounding rockets, we will give you a contract." Since the dollar amounts are very small, this would be a good way for NASA to begin supporting this nascent industry, and improve its science missions as well.

What do you all think? Is this a good way for NASA to start helping the new industry? Should there be a contract or a prize? Do you think science missions will be a profitable enterprise for future X-Prize vehicles?

Last edited by The Legionnaire on Mon Jan 26, 2004 7:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Do you think science missions will be a profitable enterprise for future X-Prize vehicles?

If they combine it with offering also passenger flights.. yes it's good to make extra profit to get out of the red numbers If 1 company would need to survive only on science flights with 1 ship... I guess on times when they get less request for tests.. they mey get into difficulties, but if nasa keeps giving them contracts for the first years.. it would asure a lot of work, so also a lot of money.

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Is this a good way for NASA to start helping the new industry?

All help is welcome.. I would say let nasa give them a contract for x flights a year with science etc...

A few hours after I posted, Clark Lindsey wrote about the same topic, and he said:

"While Burt Rutan has indicated that he has no intention of commercializing the SS1, he said that following the X PRIZE missions he would like to carry out a series of high altitude flights to prove that such routine operations are feasible. Since there will be no passengers on board, it would seem like a good opportunity for some scientists to try to convince him to take along their experiments in place of 200kg or so of ballast."